TELECOM Digest Wed, 18 May 94 03:28:00 CDT Volume 14 : Issue 235 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Bell Canada Equal Access Update (Bell News via Dave Leibold) The Future of Telephony (Part 2) (mmm@cup.portal.com) Information Request on Global Products (Garland Sharratt) AP Reporter in Eastern Europe Needs Assistance (Frank Bajak) European Phone Line Specs (Dexter Wm. Francis) How to Contact Telegroup of Fairfield? (Joseph Doo) Re: Cable Dates in History (B. Z. Lederman) Re: Annoyance Calls From Answering Machine (Paul A. Lee) Re: Cellular Privacy? (Timothy L. Kay) A Telephone Exchange Open Day (Arthur Marsh) Re: Samples From Telecomworldwire - Part 1 (Tony Harminc) TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify: * telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu * The Digest is edited, published and compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson of Skokie, Illinois USA. You can reach us by postal mail, fax or phone at: 9457-D Niles Center Road Skokie, IL USA 60076 Phone: 708-329-0571 Fax: 708-329-0572 ** Article submission address only: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu ** Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email information service. 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Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Dave.Leibold@f730.n250.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Leibold) Date: 17 May 94 00:31:06 -0500 Subject: Bell Canada Equal Access Update Organization: FidoNet: The Super Continental - North York, Canada [from Bell News, 16 May 94] We'll roll out Equal Access orders over six weeks. Taking advantage of an innovative approach offered by the CRTC, Bell and our competitors have agreed in principle to a plan to phase-in the introduction of equal access orders over a period of six weeks, beginning July 1, 1994. Under equal access, customers can select an alternate long distance company and dial "1" + the area code + the telephone number" to make a long distance call on that network - just as they presently do with Bell. The conversion to equal access is a massive undertaking for Bell from network, systems and human resources perspectives. So while Bell has met its commitment to having the technical capability in place to offer equal access in the vast majority of our digial switches for July 1, taking a phased-in approach was crucial in order to protect the integrity of the network and ensure that there would be no service disruptions for customers. In late March and early April, Bell approached carriers and resellers who were seeking equal access and proposed a roll-out plan that would see its competitors' initial primary interexchange carrier (PIC) orders processed in an incremental manner over a 13-week period (approximately 110,000 PIC orders per week). In response to objections voiced by some competitors, the CRTC initiated a new "staff review" procedure -- basically a meeting, mediated by commission staff, that gathered representatives from all the parties in "an informal and efficient process to identify the issues requiring resolution, to establish the pertinent facts and to facilitate resolution of the outstanding issues." The two day session, held on April 25 and 26 in Hull Quebec, involved a "lively exchange of views" according to Barry Dixon, vice-president, Carrier Services, who headed up Bell's delegation. Other members of the team were Jennifer Moore, Phil Rogers and Bill McIntyre, and Stentor representatives John Elliot, Jean-Francois Leger and Ernie Goldberg. At the end of the session, commission staff issued a non-binding opinion regarding the appropriate resolution of the issues under debate. Bell has since confirmed our willingness to implement the staff recommendations. Competitors agreed to provide Bell with detailed forecasts of their requirements by May 11, and to closely adhere to consumer protection requirements for obtaining proper authorization from customers wishing to be changed to a competitor. In return, Bell will increase our processing of PIC orders to an average of 200,000 per week, which will shorten the roll-out period from three months to six weeks. We will also attempt to increase this capacity if the processing goes smoothly. There was general agreement that resolution of PIC disputes and problem situations between competitors would be streamlined until after the initial implementation period. In a more controversial part of the opinion, staff recommended that Bell -- unlike the other carriers and resellers -- not receive notification that customers have switched to other carriers, until after the initial PIC processing period is completed. This period is defined as the earlier of six weeks or the time it takes to process the PIC changes taken prior to July 1 (estimated at 1.2 million). Since these notification reports are a primary tool for quickly identifying and rectifying unauthorized PIC changes, the measure will hamper Bell's ability to monitor whether safeguards to protect customers from being moved against their consent are working. It will also prevent Bell from getting a fast start on implementing planned win-back activities - by approaching customers who have moved to a competitor to attempt to "win" them back. Other features of Bell's implementation plan include: * pre-processing a total of 10,000 PIC change orders beginning on June 24 in Bell Ontario and June 27 in Bell Quebec; these orders will actually take effect on July 1. * processing 1,000 PIC orders per day for all carriers and resellers (including Bell), plus a proportionate share of the remaining processing capacity, based on the actual number of PIC orders each company has in the system. Bell will work closely with each of the companies involved in order to monitor and manage the implementation process to the benefit of all parties. Adjustments to speed up the roll-out will be considered as all parties gain experience with the process. ------------------------------ From: mmm@cup.portal.com Subject: The Future of Telephony (Part 2) Date: Tue, 17 May 94 22:38:06 PDT [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Part one of this article appeared awhile ago in the Digest. PAT] Here are some more straight-line projections into the future: ADVERTISING -- the cheapest long-distance phone rates will be for a service in which each call is preceded by a 15-second commercial before the connection is attempted. Every five minutes, the commercial reappears and is audible on both ends. Until Congress acts, the main use of this advertising medium will be cigarette companies. AROMAPHONE -- a hybrid integrated circuit will allow even the cheapest phones to have smell input/output. On the receive end, there's an array of 1024 by 1024 resistive heating elements which are overprinted with over one million polymer buttons impregnated with molecules for all known smells. When a button is heated, it releases some molecules. On the transmit end, an integrated circuit gas chromatograph and array of lasers for measuring optical absorbance detects atmospheric molecules, and a neural network associative memory recognizes the button or combination of buttons that would approximate the smell. The sensor is used during receiving to sense when a button is failing to emit enough smell. Common smells would have more than one button, and the aromaphone would skip to the next button when one was used up. Sooner or later the aromaphone cartridge will need to be replaced. AIRPLANE PHONES -- the complete ban of smoking on airplanes and the emerging technology of the aromaphone will converge in an airplane phone which can make aromacalls to a service which sends tobacco smoke data to the aromaphone. Airline aromaphones will differ from the consumer model in that their cartridges contain mostly nicotine and tobacco flavor component buttons. And rather than gently wafting the aroma toward the user using a piezoelectric fan, the airline version has a disposable mouthpiece which is sucked on. ADAPTIVE SPEED DIALING -- many people have very regular calling habits, such as the wife who always calls her husband at the beginning of his lunch hour. With adaptive speed dialing, the phone learns to recognize this and automatically calls him when the phone is picked up at that time of day. People will have to learn to be quick to hit the switch hook if they break their usual dialing habits, to prevent the call from going through. QUADRAPHONIC SOUND -- a brief flurry of interest will be created in quadraphonic sound, when an inventor promotes a set-up to turn a room into a room-size phone with four microphones and four speakers. The way he'll get the rubes to put up $1000 for a phone is through a very slick demo in which you listen to a ping-pong game through the phone. The popularity will decline suddenly once it becomes generally known that ping-pong games are about the only thing that gives a good impression of three-dimensionality. The devices will be available cheaply at garage sales for a few years, then prices will rise as everybody starts talking about what a great investment they are as a collectible (rumor started by collectors who hoard them). PAYPHONES -- to combat ever-increasing amounts of theft from payphone coinboxes and long-distance fraud, the "Fortress" phone will be superseded by the "Terminator" phone. The latter is equipped with numerous non-lethal defense options, including repellent gas, incapacitating gas, spray-on handcuffs and legcuffs, and a transponder embedded in a sticky semi-solid which can be attached to the top of the head by a little robot arm which pops out of the ceiling of the phone booth. Security managers at central locations will use the phone's slow-scan video to view the scene and decide which systems to activate. (Laws against "spring traps" prohibit automatic activation of these systems.) SETI -- The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) while performing an equipment calibration check will broadcast a copy of the David Rhodes chain letter toward a nearby star. Several years later, the first contact with Earth will be made by the Galactic Police demanding that David Rhodes be turned over for trial. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 16:58:00 -0400 From: garland (b.g.) sharratt Subject: Information Request on Global Products This is a request for any information, references, etc., you might have on the subject of the GLOBAL PRODUCT, i.e., a product that is sold in a more or less standardized form throughout the world. I am making this request in support of my University of Ottawa MBA research project (thesis) on the subject of "Global Products in Telecommunications". The question to be studied is whether or not there is the opportunity, for any given product type, in the telecommunications market for a single global product that could be marketed world-wide, as opposed to different products by region. The focus is more on product design than on promotion. The research will determine what has been the success of other companies trying to do the same thing, and will investigate when this is strategically the right thing to do, and when geographic markets must be separately addressed. Some of the issues to be investigated are: * How to convince customers to buy a global (more-common, less-customized) product, instead of insisting on a completely custom solution? (Show them it is lower priced and higher quality?) * What kind of product is suitable as a global product? * What kind of company can be successful with a global product? * What business environment factors encourage or discourage the adoption of a global product? Although the main focus of my paper will be telecommunications, I am researching the global product issue generally over all technology fields. Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks, Garland Sharratt garland@bnr.ca ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 17:55:28 EDT From: Frank Bajak Subject: AP Reporter in Eastern Europe Needs Assistance Patrick, I've now settled in to Berlin and have embarked on a series on how telecommunications is changing the way folks are living in eastern Europe ... not just on how the big U.S. and European telecom giants are moving in, but certainly giving that subject its due. The question is: where to start researching this monster. Any ideas on databases available through the Internet or otherwise or publications, preferably electronic but I can live with the others, would be much appreciated. I'm looking for big picture comprehensive studies as well as looks at specific projects. In addition to raw data I am also interested in hearing from folks who are directly involved in building the telecommunications web in eastern Europe, by which I mean from eastern Germany down through the Balkans and east to the Urals. Frank Bajak Frank_Bajak@mcimail.com Associated Press Alt-Moabit 96-C Correspondent 10559 Berlin (49-30)-399-925-21 fax: 399-4341 [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I suspect you will be hearing from our readers very soon as your note begins circulating around the net. PAT] ------------------------------ From: francis4@applelink.apple.com (Dexter Wm. Francis) Subject: European Phone Line Specs Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 22:08:38 GMT Organization: Apple Computer The ARRL Handbook has a section that details the available range of voltage and current on U.S. phone lines. Does anyone know what the numbers are for phone systems in Europe? df ------------------------------ From: joe@solomon.technet.sg (Joseph Doo) Subject: How to Contact Telegroup of Fairfield? Date: 18 May 1994 06:39:20 GMT Organization: Technet, Singapore Is there a rep from Telegroup of Fairfield on this group? ------------------------------ From: B. Z. Lederman Subject: Re: Cable Dates Date: 17 May 94 16:28:13 EST Reply-To: lederman@intransit_tsc.vntsc.dot.gov Organization: INTRANSIT (VNTSC) In article , Stewart Fist <100033.2145@ CompuServe.COM> writes: > You'll probably get a couple of different replies to this query, > because of the three attempts. I've got a database on this trivia, so > let me straighten it out now. This is the main sequence of events: The information was interesting and useful. But something I've never seen clearly posted anywhere is when these early cables went OUT of service, and why. I know the first one (that ran for 21 days) was burned out through mis-use. The rise time on the cable was very slow (it was basically a large capacitor), and someone who didn't understand electrical principles very well thought the signal would rise faster if it was driven with a higher voltage. It didn't. But I don't know when or why the other cables went out of service. Does anyone? B. Z. Lederman ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 15:00:59 -0400 Subject: Re: Annoyance Calls From Answering Machine From: Paul A. Lee Organization: Woolworth Corporation I would add another course of action to Pat's suggestion of how Rodney Weaver can deal with the automated annoyance calls. Since South Central Bell seems to be lending only half-hearted (or half of some _other_ anatomical entity) help in alleviating the problem, perhaps Rodney needs to rattle a sabre at *them*, too. I recommend sending appropriately covered copies of all correspondence, call logs, and other documentation to the state public utilities commission (PUC) or public service commission (PSC). If the commission itself isn't listed in phone directories, then the state bureau of consumer protection or consumer affairs, or a state government information office, should be able to provide an address or phone number. Make sure to note on letters to the telco that the agency that regulates them is being apprised of the situation, and of the telco's inability to provide effective assistance in solving the problem. *That* might break the impasse, even if the commission never gets involved. Utilities tend to get busy when the agency that regulates them starts taking an interest. Paul A. Lee Voice 414 357-1409 Telecommunications Analyst FAX 414 357-1450 Woolworth Corporation CompuServe 70353,566 INTERNET [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Indeed, it used to be the rule in many or most telco business offices that who got attended to first and who had to wait was a result of who made the most noise. Many/most telco business offices had a teletype machine (now-a-days I suppose it is a fax machine) to the state PUC. People who went to the PUC with their problems then as now found that all that really happens is the clerk at the PUC who listens to your tale of woe simply sends it over to the telco, admittedly to a somewhat higher ranking person than the average service rep, for resolution. Customers who write to the president or chairman of the telco usually get shunted to highly placed flunkies who in turn teletype or fax the problem to the business office people. Usually whatever telco says, the PUC accepts and that is the end of the matter. None the less it is faster sometimes. The rule at Illinois Bell for many years was first handle the commission complaints, then take care of the management complaints. After that, deal with the walk-in customers in the business office, and last, as time permits deal with the subscribers who call on the phone! So the complaining subscriber on the phone might have to make four or five calls to get his problem resolved, but the Commission and/or management rarely had to ask more than one or two times :). Seriously, that was the pecking order. The Commission did not/still does not resolve anything; they simply request that telco get the problem straightened out. When a message came on the dedicated teletype line from the PUC, someone always attended to it right away, at least most of the time. PAT] ------------------------------ From: timkay@netcom.com (Timothy L. Kay) Subject: Re: Cellular Privacy? Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest) Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 21:14:54 GMT I worked for Radio Shack when I was a kid. At that time, HBO was broadcasting via microwaves, and many people were building non- sanctioned receivers. (I say non-sanctioned rather than illegal because, as far as I know, the legality of the home-built receivers was never tested in court.) Most people were building their receivers using one of a very few easily-available plans. You could even get a professionally designed (empty) printed circuit board for about $20. So it was easy for me to tell that a customer was building an HBO receiver when he asked for a tell-tale list of parts. I started preparing HBO bag-o'-parts ahead of time so that I could get the customers on their way more quickly. One item Radio Shack didn't have was microwave diodes. I had to refer them to another supplier for those. One day, a memo came from Radio Shack corporate headquarters instructing employees to have nothing to do with the construction of HBO receivers. That memo was targeted directly at employees like me. I will plead the Fifth at this point. Oh, by the way, with the next stock shipment, a new inventory item arrived. Yes, microwave diodes. Timothy L. Kay [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Radio Shack/Tandy has always been in the closet it seems regards illegal stuff. They are happy to sell it but never want their employees to talk about it or encourage it. PAT] ------------------------------ Reply-To: Arthur@cswamp.apana.org.au Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 01:46:52 From: Arthur@cswamp.apana.org.au (Arthur Marsh) Subject: A Telephone Exchange Open Day In the lead-up to the ballot in South Australia on whether Telstra or Optus will be a subscriber's preferred long distance carrier, Telstra had an open day last Saturday, May 14 1994 at one of their most recent constructions, the Flinders Street Adelaide Communications Centre. Besides a brief visit by Telstra's CEO, Frank Blount (ex-AT&T), which I missed, there was much of interest to be seen. The five story building (which cost AUD$42 million excluding equipment) features dual mains electricity supply, 3 * 2 Megawatt General Motors V16 diesel-powered generators with the capability of providing five days of full power without refueling and generally over-engineered construction. On display were working Ericsson AXE, Alcatel System 12 and Nortel DMS-100 switch units. Also there was a demonstration of ADSL giving full motion video using 2 Mbit/s modulation over 4 kilometres of twisted pair cable, and fibre-to-the-pillar/coax to the home. One technician also demonstrated optical fibre splicing and the use of an optical reflectometer. There was also a demonstration of morse code, but no mechanical exchange equipment in sight. I was pleased to see a live display of current technology, which has been all-too-rare in the past pre-competitive era. * Origin: Camelot Swamp MJCNA, Hawthorndene, Sth Australia (8:7000/8) # Camelot Swamp bbs, data: +61-8-370-2133 reply to arthur@cswamp.apana.org.au ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 May 94 17:46:58 EDT From: Tony Harminc Subject: Re: Samples From Telecomworldwire - Part 1 From: Darren Ingram > We would like to offer TELECOM Digest readers a special price on > subscription to Telecomworldwire. The UK price is gbp700 per year for > fax. ... > WASHINGTON, USA/RIYADHI, SAUDI ARABIA- AT&T Corp has won a six-year > US$4 billion contract to provide state-of-the-art digital switching > and fibre-optic networks to Saudi Arabia, and within hours of the news > being confirmed the contract was dogged with controversy. ... > Ericsson said that it was surprised at the scope of the bid and the > way in which it had been handled, and Northern Telecom said that it > half expected the move as negotiations between AT&T and the Saudis > were advanced when AT&T ended its exclusive supplier agreement with > Bell Canada Ltd -- a NT offshoot -- earlier this year. If this is the quality of detail that readers may expect, I would suggest saving the 700 Pounds for something else. See if you can find three errors of fact in the last sentence quoted. Tony H. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Readers who wish to do so may send me the 700 Pounds instead. I might be encouraged to make even further improvements in this Digest as a result. In fact, I shall make a special subscription offer to the readers of Telecomworldwire and send them a *free* subscription to this Digest. How's that for a deal! :) Remember, TELECOM Digest is supported by the generous contributions of its friends and corporate sponsors, the primary one of whom is the International Telecommunication Union. But the ITU can't do it all ... you need to help. Thanks very much. PAT] ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V14 #235 ******************************